Musk says Starshield limits are set by U.S. government, while Starlink is barred from offensive military use

Elon Musk said Wednesday that Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the U.S. government, arguing that any limits on their speed or usage are determined by the U.S. military and ultimately by President Donald Trump.

“Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the U.S. military and ultimately POTUS,” Musk wrote on X.

He drew a distinction between Starshield and Starlink, describing Starlink as a commercial SpaceX service whose use is limited to civilian or defensive activities. Musk said Starlink “cannot be used for offensive military action,” arguing that such use would be inappropriate for a commercial company.

His remarks came amid Ukrainian complaints that new restrictions on satellite connectivity had disrupted drone and other battlefield operations. Ukrainian officials said terminals were disconnecting when moving above roughly 160 km/h, forcing some missions to be cancelled.

Reuters reported that Starshield is SpaceX’s dedicated military satellite service for U.S. government and intelligence customers, while Starlink remains the company’s commercial network. Ukraine has accused the restrictions of affecting both offensive and defensive military operations.